With National Novel Writing Month in full swing, thousands of hopeful novelists around the world are experiencing all the fun of trying to juggle a full-time job with a passion for writing. For those cursing their work commitments, there’s good news: some of the most critically acclaimed and commercially successful authors clearly drew inspiration from their day job to create stunning works of fiction.
Could Bram Stoker have written Dracula if he wasn’t inspired by an actor at the theatre he managed? Unlikely.
Would John Grisham even have picked up a pen if it wasn’t for a career that brought him into the courtroom? Doubt it.
If Nicholas Sparks wasn’t a pharmaceutical salesman would Ryan Gosling ever have starred in the film adaptation of The Notebook? Well, probably.
The Day Jobs of Famous Authors
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Bram Stoker – Theatre Manager
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John Grisham – Attorney
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Stephen King – Teacher
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JK Rowling – Teacher
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George RR Martin – Teacher
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Harper Lee – Airline Ticket Agent
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Joseph Heller – Copywriter
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Nicholas Sparks – Pharmaceutical Salesman
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Dan Brown – Teacher
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Arthur Conan Doyle – Medical Practitioner
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Franz Kafka – Insurance Officer
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JM Coetzee – University Professor
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Haruki Murakami – Business Owner
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Joseph Conrad – Merchant Seaman
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Gabriel Garcia Marquez – Journalist
